Patriots' JuJu Smith-Schuster on Malik Magic: 'Dude Is Electric!'
With the New England Patriots sputtering on offense in last week's preseason opener against the Houston Texans, undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham finally gave fans something to cheer about.
Cunningham spent most of the game as a receiver, but the Patriots gave him a shot at his preferred position late in the game. The Louisville product didn't light up the stat sheet, completing three of four passes for 19 yards while adding 34 rushing yards on five carries, but he did get the football world talking with one exceptional play. Just after the two-minute warning, Cunningham weaved through Texans defenders for a nine-yard rushing score, the Patriots' only touchdown of the night.
After the game, talks of Cunningham challenging for the No. 2 quarterback spot started spreading, with some reports noting he has even seen first-team reps. Patriots players have been vocal in their support for Cunningham, and one of the latest to advocate for him was receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
“That dude is electric," Smith-Schuster told reporters. "When the football’s in his hands as a quarterback, he’s a very dangerous player.”
In college, Cunningham was certainly an electric dual-threat player. His best season at Louisville came in 2021, when he passed for 2,941 yards and 19 touchdowns while running for another 1,031 yards and 20 scores.
Like many dual-threat quarterbacks, though, Cunningham's viability as an NFL quarterback was a big question surrounding him as a prospects. He is still trying to prove that he can succeed in the role, and with him spending most of Thursday's game as a receiver, he still has a ways to go. However, Cunningham put himself on the NFL map with his electric run, and that could be the start he needs towards becoming a viable quarterback option.
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